This invention relates generally to waste removal systems, and in particular to a waste removal system useful for picking up and disposing of pet feces.
Ownership of a household pet such as a dog can be a very rewarding experience for both the pet owner and the pet. However, the responsibility for the care of such an animal brings with it the unpleasant task of caring for the animal's basic need for waste excretion. Many dog owners attend to this task by walking the dog in a public park or along a city street. In many cities and parks, the law and/or the need for cleanliness requires that the dog owner clean up his dog's feces. Additionally, dog owners who have a backyard or other land sufficient for allowing the dog to exercise and to attend to its "business" must from time to time clean up the feces that is left on the ground by the animal.
Many devices have been created to attend to the cleaning and disposal of animal feces. Most of these devices are in the form of scoops or small shovels. Some of these devices, such as the ones disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,641,873; 4,900,077; 5,503,442; 4,247,139; 4,718,707; and 4,136,900, also include a disposable bag or pouch for use with the waste removal device. However, such devices suffer from several drawbacks. One drawback is that many of these devices require two-hand operation, which can be difficult or awkward for a pet owner to accomplish while holding a leash or otherwise restraining the pet. Another drawback is that many of them are designed so that their scoops or shovels come directly into contact with the feces being picked up. Thus, the devices must be cleaned or wrapped before they can be stored, for example, in the trunk of an automobile. As can be appreciated by one of skill in the art, cleaning or otherwise handling a soiled "pooper scooper" is not an appealing task. Other shortcomings of previous devices include their relative high complexity and, thus, high cost.
Accordingly, a need exists for an animal waste material removal system that is easy to use, is sanitary (in that it is not soiled in the pick-up operation), is easily stored, and is relatively inexpensive. The present invention relates to an improved system which is capable of easily and sanitarily cleaning up animal waste and solves the problems raised or not solved by existing material removal systems. Of course, the present invention has a multitude of uses involving the removal and disposal of materials other than animal feces.